I submit that the primary issue regarding continuing education for licensed mechanical/HVAC, plumbing, and electrical individual contractors/tradesmen is poor governmental program management and that the solution to the recent concerns is to provide smarter, more flexible, and more efficient, effective, and economical programmatic administration and operation of the continuing education program versus complete abolishment of the program. To date, the DPOR educator approval process has proven to be short-sighted, inconsistent, ineffective, and inefficient, and uneconomical for the regulating agency as well as the tradesmen regulants. I recommend that DPOR consider modeling similar successful continuing education programs such as those programs implemented by sister agencies, including DHCD and VDFP.

With the perpetual technological innovations and construction code revisions affecting teh construction and contracting industry, it is very important to regulate the licensure maintenance requirements through continuing education requirements. It is also very important to recognize the educational value of and accept additional continuing educational credits from alternative related educational opportunities relative to numerous pertinent subject matters without restriction to construction code editions and code changes only.

As a code official as well as an industry consumer, I highly value the increased knowledge of individual contractors/tradesmen performing contract work in the field. Consistent with the intent of licensure regulations, such elevated professionalism certainly contributes to and ensures the protection of public health, safety, and welfare in the built environment.